The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing an enhanced Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) for network and systems management. The invention is suitable for use with communication networks, including LANs, WANs, and internets.
The following acronyms are used in this application:
SNMP Simple network management protocol
ASN Abstract Syntax Notation
CCITT International Telegraph And Telephone
Consultative Committee (Translation)
CMIP Common Management Information Protocol
CMISE Common Management Information Service Elements
EFD Event Forwarding Discriminator
FDDI Fiber Distributed Data Interface
IETF Internet Engineering Task Force
IP Internet Protocol
ITU International Telecommunications Union
LAN Local Area Network
LD Log Discriminator
LMI Local Management Interface
MIB Management Information Base
NMF Network Management Forum
OSI Open Systems Interconnection
Q3 A TMN interface specification
RFC Request For Comment, published by the IETF
SMI Structure of Management Information
SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol
TCP Transaction Control Protocol
TMN Telecommunications Management Network
UDP User Datagram Protocol
WAN Wide Area Network
Management of a system such as a communications network is concerned with supervising and controlling the system so that it fulfills the requirements of both the owners and users of the system. This includes the long-term planning required for the system to evolve to provide improved performance, and to incorporate new functionality or new technology. Management may also involve accounting to ensure that resources are fairly allocated to users, or to charge users for use of services. The management of a system may be performed by a combination of human and automated components. The term xe2x80x9cmanagerxe2x80x9d is used to refer to any entity, human or automated, that can perform management activities in a communications network or system. The manager encompasses a management station, and a human operator interface, discussed below.
As part of the online control of the system, one or more managers must perform the following activities:
Monitor the system to obtain up-to-date status information and to receive event reports from the agents;
Interpret the overall policy pertaining to the goals or requirements of the organization that owns the system to make decisions about what behavior is required from the system; and
Perform control actions on the system resources to change their behavior and implement the management decisions.
As the number and variety of communications networks and services has grown, so has the diversity of management needs. In the past, these needs were satisfied by the manufacturer of the network equipment, or by network operator specific solutions. The resultant proliferation of incompatible management solutions has complicated the management of services and networks supported by different manufacturers"" network equipment. It has also severely restricted the ability of network and service providers to exchange information in electronic form.
It has been realized that the communications industry would benefit from the existence of a consistent set of standards that would permit interoperability between a broad range of network equipment and management systems while allowing operators the freedom to adopt various implementation strategies. Network and service providers also have realized that they would benefit from the ability to exchange information electronically to provide services.
Standardization of management interactions provides obvious benefits of being able to manage multi-vendor components from a single management platform. Many different standards have been and are being introduced to cope with the complexities of network and distributed systems management. They include:
Internet Management Standards;
Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) Standards;
Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Management Standards; and
Network Management Forum (NMF) Standards.
The most widely accepted management standard is the Internet SNMP set of standards, which was originally defined in the framework currently known as SNMPv1:
Structure and Identification of Management Information (SMI) for TCP/IP-based networksxe2x80x94RFC 1155 describes how managed objects contained in a
Management Information Base (MIB) are defined; Management Information Base (MIB) for Network Management of TCP/IP-based Internetsxe2x80x94RFC 1213 describes the managed objects contained in the MIB; and
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)xe2x80x94RFC 1157 defines the protocol used to manage the managed objects.
The model of network management that is used for SNMP consists of the following basic elements:
Management station,
Management agent;
Management information base; and
Network management protocol.
Managed objects are accessed via a virtual information store, termed the Management Information Base, or MIB. Objects in the MIB are defined using the subset of Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1) defined in the SMI. In particular, each object type is named by an OBJECT IDENTIFIER, an administratively assigned name. The object type together with an object instance serves to uniquely identify a specific instantiation of the object. For human convenience, we often use a textual string, termed the xe2x80x9cobject descriptorxe2x80x9d, to refer to the object type.
Most computer and, communications equipment in the world today is SNMP manageable. SNMP is usually supported by the standard Internet User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and Internet Protocol (IP) over most existing communications environments such as serial links, Ethernet, FDDI, ATM, etc. A functionally richer version of SNMP, SNMPv2 has been introduced in 1993. The security and administration framework associated with SNMPv2 has not found wide acceptance and is currently in the process of being replaced in the SNMPv3 framework which consists of SNMPv1 and SNMPv2 and a new administrative and security framework.
The SNMP Network Management Framework presently consists of three major components. They are:
(1) the SNMPv2 SMI, described in RFC 1902xe2x80x94the mechanisms used for describing and naming objects for the purpose of management;
(2) the SNMPv1 MIB-II, described in RFC 1213xe2x80x94the core set of managed objects for the Internet suite of protocols; and
(3) the protocol, SNMPv1 RFC 1157 and/or SNMPv2 RFC 1905xe2x80x94the protocol for accessing managed objects.
The Telecommunications-Management Network (TMN) standard was developed by the CCITT (ITU-T) to provide an architecture to achieve an interconnection between various types of management systems and telecommunications equipment for the exchange of management information over standardized interfaces. TMN is largely based on OSI management standards and includes:
Principles for TMN (ITU-T M.3010 and M.3020), which defines the architecture;
Generic Network Information model (ITU-T M.3100);
Management Services (ITU-T M.3200);
Management Function (ITU-T M.3400); and
Protocol Profiles for Management Interfaces (ITU-T Q.811, Q.812, Q.773).
It is intended that all networks, telecommunications services, and major type of equipment may be managed by TMN.
TMN functions exchange management information by means of the ITU-T X-700 (OSI system management) standards. Each software component in a TMN layer represents itself and the resources it manages to the layer above as a managed object. The interactions between manager and agent are defined by means of CMISE/CMIP. The organization of the information architecture, the MIB, contains managed objects for specific technologies that can be refined from the general template provided in ITU-T M-3100, the Generic Network Information Model.
All TMN communication is based on the Agent-Manager paradigm. The Q3 interface relies on the OSI management model using the OSI Common Management Information protocol. CMIP is used between Common Management Information Service Elements (CMISE) to provide Common Management Information Service (CMIS).
However, while SNMP-based management is commonly used because of its simplicity and resulting low cost of implementation, OSI CMIP and TMN because of their complexity are used only in very few systems restricted mostly to the telecommunications domain. To enable integration between the two types of systems the Network Management Forum (NMF) developed architectural solutions and translation schemes like xe2x80x9cNMF Translation of ISO/CCITT GDMO MIBS to Internet MIBSxe2x80x9d. However all of these solutions have aimed at integration of the two types of systems and at a complete, literal translation. Because of the complexity of OSI, CMIP and TMN, this solution is not widely used and the sophisticated management techniques enabled by OSI, CMIP and TMN have not been used within SNMP management systems.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an enhanced SNMP management system for telecommunications networks which efficiently provides many of the sophisticated management techniques enabled by OSI, CMIP and TMN, while maintaining the simplicity of SNMP.
The enhanced SNMP should define a management state of each SNMP agent, define events which are to be reported from the agent to an SNMP management station, and provide a log for recording particular events and associated agent data vales when the events occur. The enhanced SNMP should further provide the capability for an alarm, state change, and value change notification to be communicated from the SNMP agents to the SNMP management station when specific events occur at the agent.
The present invention provides a system having the above and other advantages.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing an enhanced Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) for network and systems management.
The present invention enables the use of the TMN X.700 techniques in SNMP management systems through a new mapping of the X.700 information model onto the SNMP information model. This mapping enables the use of the X.700 techniques in a way that is consistent with the SNMP management paradigm instead of attempting a complete, literal translation as the NMF has done.
A state information module, events module, and a log model are defined which enable X.700-style alarm and event surveillance, and event reporting.
A method is presented for providing an enhanced Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) for use by an SNMP management station in managing at least one SNMP agent in accordance with the present invention.
State information is defined at the management station designating the state of the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent, as a result of a communication with the agent, or as a future state to be imposed on the agent.
The method comprises the steps of: defining event information at the management station, and communicating the event information to the at least one agent via a network; storing the event information at the agent; the event information defining pre-conditions for generating an event; monitoring data associated with the agent to determine if the pre-conditions have been met, and, if so, generating the event at the agent; and communicating a notification regarding the event from the agent to the management station via the network.
The notification designates a particular available notification type that includes at least one of an alarm notification indicative of an alarm condition at the agent, a state change notification indicative of a change of a state of the agent, and a value change notification indicative of a change in a value of an object associated with the agent. For example, an alarm condition may exist at the agent if the value of an object associated with the agent is not in a predetermined acceptable range.
The method may include the further steps of defining administrative state information at the management station designating whether the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent has a locked or unlocked status, and communicating the administrative state information to the agent via the network.
The method may include the further steps of defining operational state information at the management station designating whether the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent has an enabled or disabled status; communicating the operational state information to the agent via the network and monitoring the enabled or disabled status at the agent to determine a change in the state of the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent.
The method may include the further steps of defining operational state information at the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent which designates an enabled or disabled status thereof and monitoring the enabled or disabled status at the agent to determine a change in the state of the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent.
The method may include the further steps of defining availability status information at the agent designating whether or not the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent is available; and monitoring the availability status at the agent to determine a change in the state of the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent.
The event information may define the available notification types (e.g., alarm, state change or value change).
The event information may. define event forwarding discriminator (EFD) information that defines EFD pre-conditions for the notification communicating step, in which case the method includes the further steps of: monitoring events that are generated by the agent to determine if the EFD pre-conditions have been met, and, if so, communicating the notification regarding the event from the agent to the management station via the network. For example, an event may be generated but may not be important enough to qualify to have a notification communicated to the management station immediately. The notification may therefore be communicated to the management station at a later time, or not at all. Or the notification may be communicated when a predetermined number of events occurs.
The EFD information may define a schedule for communicating the notification regarding the event from the agent to the management station via the network.
When the network is associated with a plurality of SNMP management stations, the EFD information defines particular ones of the plurality of SNMP management stations that are to receive the notification regarding the event.
When EFD information is defined, the method may include the further steps of defining administrative state information at the management station designating whether the EFD has a locked or unlocked status, and communicating the administrative state information to the agent via the network; and monitoring the locked or unlocked status at the agent to determine if the EFD pre-conditions have been met.
When EFD information is defined, the method may include the further steps of defining operational state information at the management station designating whether the EFD has an enabled or disabled status, and communicating the operational state information to the agent via the network; and monitoring the enabled or disabled status at the agent to determine if the EFD pre-conditions have been met.
When EFD information is defined, the method may include the further steps of defining operational state information of the EFD which designates an enabled or disabled status thereof; and monitoring the enabled or disabled status at the agent to determine if the EFD pre-conditions have been met. That is, a notification may not be provided for certain events if the agent is disabled.
When EFD information is defined, the method may include the further steps of defining availability status information at the agent designating whether or not the EFD is available; and monitoring the availability status information at the agent to determine if the EFD pre-conditions have been met. That is, the agent may have an automatic schedule which defines time periods in which a notification may be provided for certain events.
The method may include the further steps of defining log information at the management station, and communicating the log information to the agent via the network; storing the log information at the agent; the log information defining log pre-conditions for creating a log entry for the generated event; and monitoring data associated with the agent to determine if the log pre-conditions have been met, and, if so, creating the log entry for the generated event at the agent. The log is used by the agent to maintain a record of events.
When the log information defines log discriminator (LD) information that defines LD pre-conditions for creating the log entry for the generated event at the agent, the method may include the further steps of monitoring events that are generated by the agent to determine if the LD pre-conditions have been met, and, if so, creating the log entry for the generated event at the agent. That is, certain events may not qualify to be logged.
The LD information may define a schedule for creating the log entry for the generated event at the agent.
When LD information is defined, the method may include the further steps of defining administrative state information at the management station designating whether the LD has a locked or unlocked status, and communicating the administrative state information to the agent via the network; and monitoring the locked or unlocked status at the agent to determine if the log pre-conditions have been met. For example, certain events may not be logged if the agent is locked.
When LD information is defined, the method may include the further steps of defining operational state information of the LD which designates an enabled or disabled status thereof, and monitoring the enabled or disabled status at the agent to determine if the log pre-conditions have been met. For example, certain events may not be logged if the agent is disabled.
When LD information is defined, the method may include the further steps of defining availability status information at the agent designating whether or not the LD is available; and monitoring the availability status information at the agent to determine if the log pre-conditions have been met. That is, the agent may have an automatic schedule which defines time periods in which a log entry may be made for certain events.
When log information is defined, the method may include the further step of creating particular logs for the generated event according to the corresponding notification type to provide at least one of an alarm log entry, a state change log entry, and a value change log entry. For example, an event that has a particular notification type, such as an alarm, may be eligible to be entered into an alarm log.
When a log entry is provided, the method may include the further step of reading the log entry for the generated event to obtain the notification that is communicated from the agent to the management station. In this embodiment, communication of a notification and the entering of a log entry are dependent actions.
The method may include the further step of defining state information at the management station according to the notification that is communicated thereto from the agent; wherein the state information is adapted for use in managing the agent. For example, if the management station receives a notification of an alarm at an agent, the management station may communicate updated administrative state information to lock the agent, thereby effectively removing it from the network.
A corresponding apparatus is also presented for providing an enhanced Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) for use by an SNMP management station in managing at least one SNMP agent. The apparatus includes defining means, such as a processor and computer code stored in memory, and/or input from an operator interface, for defining event information at the management station; first communication means, such as a transceiver, for communicating the event information to the agent via a network; a memory, such as RAM, associated with the agent for storing the event information communicated thereto; the event information defining pre-conditions for generating an event; monitoring means, such as a micro-processor, associated with the agent for monitoring data associated therewith to determine if the pre-conditions have been met, and, if so, generating the event at the agent; and second communication means, such as a transceiver, associated with the agent for communicating a notification regarding the event to the management station via the network.
The notification designates a particular available notification type that includes at least one of an alarm notification indicative of an alarm condition at the agent, a state change notification indicative of a change of a state of the agent, and a value change notification indicative of a change in a value of an object associated with the agent.
The event information defines event forwarding discriminator (EFD) information that defines EFD pre-conditions for the second communication means; and the monitoring means-monitors events that are generated by the agent to determine if the EFD pre-conditions have been met, and, if so, the second communication means communicates the notification regarding the event to the management station via the network.
The EFD information may define a schedule for the second communication means to communicate the notification regarding the event from the agent to the management station via the network.
Optionally, the defining means defines administrative state information at the management station designating whether the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent has a locked or unlocked status; the first communication means communicates the administrative state information to the agent via the network; and the monitoring means monitors the locked or unlocked status at the agent to determine if the EFD pre-conditions have been met.
Optionally, the defining means defines operational state information at the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent which designates an enabled or disabled status thereof; and the monitoring means monitors the enabled or disabled status at the agent to determine if the EFD pre-conditions have been met.
Optionally, the defining means defines log information at the management station; the first communication means communicates the log information to the agent via the network; the memory stores the log information at the agent; the log information defines log pre-conditions for creating a log entry for the generated event; and the monitoring means monitors data associated with the agent to determine if the log pre-conditions have been met, and, if so, creates the log entry for the generated event at the agent.
When the defining means defines administrative state information at the management station designating whether the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent has a locked or unlocked status; the first communication means communicates the administrative state information to the agent via the network; and the monitoring means monitors the locked or unlocked status at the agent to determine if the log pre-conditions have been met.
Optionally, the defining means defines operational state information at the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent which designates an enabled or disabled status thereof; and the monitoring means monitors the enabled or disabled status at the agent to determine if the log pre-conditions have been met.
The defining means may define availability status information at the agent designating whether or not the agent, any of its components, or any resource represented by the agent is available; and the monitoring means may monitor the availability status information at the agent to determine if the log pre-conditions have been met.
The agent may include means for creating particular logs for the generated event according to the corresponding notification type to provide at least one of an alarm log entry, a state change log entry, and a value change log entry.
The agent may also include means for reading the log entry for the generated event to obtain the notification that is communicated from the second communication means to the management station.
The defining means may define state information at the management station according to the notification that is communicated thereto from the second communication means; and the state information may be adapted for use in managing the agent.
Optionally, the log information defines log discriminator (LD) information that defines LD pre-conditions for creating the log entry for the generated event at the agent; the monitoring means monitors events that are generated by the agent to determine if the LD preconditions have been met, and, if so, creates the log entry for the generated event at the agent.